Kurt Called in Sick Today
by PrInCeSsFBi
Summary: Carole was no stranger to the symptoms of the "Man Flu" but when both her sons get the flu that's been going around Lima it is only rational to bring on Blaine as well. Carole's POV about some of Glee's leading men and the puddles they become when sick.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or anything else for that matter. If I did Blaine would be straight and our wedding would be this weekend.**

**A/N: This originally was just going to be a Carole and Blaine fic but I just had to much fun with Finn and who could leave Kurt out!**

It had always been an interesting time whenever Finn had been sick. Even now at 17, Carole knew exactly what to do with her son whenever he was feeling ill. What had worked when he was five still worked now. So, Carole was no stranger to the flu symptoms. After hearing that a nasty case of the flu was running around Ohio she knew it was only a matter of time before Finn got that glazed look in his eyes.

All Carole had to do was put him in one spot that she could easily get too and she knew he wouldn't go far. There had only been one time that he had been out of his mind with cold medicine and she had found him outside trying to fight with the snowman in their neighbor's yard. He then promptly tried to apologize and announce his love to the same snowman. Now though he only made it to the foyer before losing all energy and just slept on the stairs.

At least that's how Carole found him this morning.

"The fish are going on that side of the TV," Finn exclaimed raising a pointed finger to the screensaver on their television. "But they keep coming back on the other side."

Finn was now sitting in the lazy boy, the old quilt haphazardly thrown on top him as a leg stuck out. Carole smiled as she lifted Finn's head to place the large pillow. With an amused expression on her face she let her hand linger on his forehead, feeling the dulled fever that made his cheeks pink.

_Doesn't seem to have changed, _Carole mused before putting the TV remote in Finn's hand who just stared entranced by the screen saver.

"My eyes feel weird," Finn said before going cross eyed to stare at his nose. "Dude…"

Carole sighed placing the blanket further around Finn's shoulders.

That's why Carole had been so surprised by her stepson's routine when he was ill. Kurt was an absolute angel. He did the only sophisticated way of trekking through this flu and slept through it. After thanking her for driving him home Kurt had promptly put on a pair of his silk pajamas and fallen asleep shortly after. Waking up occasionally for a glass of water and to use the restroom, he had spent a majority of his time asleep. Other than checking on him a few times, Carole wasn't needed giving her enough to time to make sure her husband wasn't starving as he was avoiding the germ zone like the plague.

With that task done she moved to her final sick patient.

Blaine stared blankly at the betta fish Kurt had gotten to add some whatever to the room. Carole gave a look of sympathy at the teen as she brushed the dark curls to feel his head. The boy was a fighter that's for sure as she remembered the day she drove to pick up a sick Kurt from Dalton. Her new son had met her outside pinching the bridge of his nose with a distant look that told her the enormity of his headache. Then to her surprise two other boys were carrying Blaine to the car, the brunette arguing something about a new P!nk song and Harry Potter.

_Blaine's fever is rising_, Carole added to her checklist of things as she adjusted the blanket for him as well.

"His parents are in Europe for four weeks," Kurt had explained to her confused face. Carole had frowned but kept her thoughts to herself and driven home with child plus one. She had quickly taken to making a bed on the sofa for their guest, despite his protests. The comparison of the soloist and her son, who was still staring at the television, was almost comical. Finn was sprawled out all legs and arms in his worn shorts and football t-shirt and Blaine was curled beneath the comforter Carole had given him in a pair of flannel pajama bottoms (Carole had made the mistake of buying Kurt those before they had truly bonded) and one of Finn's t-shirts that were far to big for him.

"Do you need anything, Blaine," she asked. Blaine didn't say anything and Carole wasn't sure he had heard her. Then he looked at her and almost snapped into focus.

"Oh, no thank you, Mrs. Hummel," He said in a polite but low sick voice that didn't exactly help his case. Carole didn't believe him. Blaine hadn't asked for anything his entire stay with them and was about to insist he at least ask for cup of water or something, but she took pity on him as he seemed to be fighting to remain alert while his body began to slowly fall back into a slump against the couch. Something told Carole that Blaine wasn't all the focused attention in his own home. From small details Kurt had let go she was almost positive that was a sound assumption.

"What kind of Gatorade would you like, Finn," she asked letting the matter drop.

"Green," was the far away response she got. Turning back to Blaine she made her way to the kitchen.

"How about you, Blaine," she asked. Blaine looked confused for a moment and his face looked to be in deep thought, or at least as deep as someone with a temperature of a 102 could be. "They have red and blue and…"

"Yellow tastes weird," Finn said with a sigh.

"Blue," Blaine said before adding, "If it isn't to much trouble."

"Mom! Mom," Finn jumped in volume making Carole sigh as his blanket fell down to his waist again. "Can you get the little crackers?"

After making sure the boys den were settled and checking on Kurt, Carole made her way to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Grabbing the house phone and dialing Burt's number she took a moment to finally sit, her list in front of her.

"Hey honey," Burt answered. The sound of welding stopped abruptly and Burt's voice made Carole still smile like a teenager in the way it had before they had gotten married. "How are the boys?"

"Kurt's slept for most of the day and Finn hasn't moved from the chair since this morning. I think we have officially entered the weak as a kitten stage. It shouldn't get much worse after this," Carole said leaning over to see both Finn and Blaine in the same place she had left them.

"How about our plus one," Burt asked with a laugh before his tone turned serious that Carole knew too well. "His folks call back yet?"

"No," Carole said almost sensing the anger that was boiling from Burt through the phone. "He's doing alright, his fever is still rising though."

Carole would have added more but the washer made a loud buzz of a finished cycle and she interrupted anymore questions from her husband with a, "Listen honey could you run to the store for me?"

Carole went through the list of things that she needed before saying goodbye to her husband and putting the phone back on its dock. With a groan she pulled herself back onto her feet to take care of the laundry before dinner and then hopefully an uninterrupted sleep before another flu full day of teenage moans and groans.

* * *

><p>Carole awoke with a sharp intake of breath at the shake she received.<p>

"Mom," a voice said in a feigned whisper. Burt grunted in his sleep before turning on his side pulling the covers over his shoulder.

"Finn," Carole sighed, her voice thick with sleep as she saw the wide brown eyes staring at her. Carole sighed again as she saw Finn in a position she had grown accustomed to over the years. Finn, his large football player body was curled on the ground beside her with his head lying against the mattress in a way that reminded Carole one of the many reason Finn had been able to get away with murder when he was ill. Propping herself up on her elbow Carole ran a hand through his hair, scratching his head as she went.

"Finn," she repeated, "What is it honey are you feeling alright?"

"Can I have some more aspirin," he asked dropping the whisper he had been using before and asking her in his normal tone. By the slight look of relaxation on his face as she continued to comb his hair with her fingers she was able to pin the nose on his source of discomfort.

"You have a headache," she asked even though she knew the answer. Finn merely nodded into her hand, his head still lying with his cheek pressed against the mattress. Carole tried not to sigh again but remembered this was Finn and knew he wouldn't notice so she pulled herself from her bed, her feet feeling heavy against the carpet floors.

Then she felt it and almost couldn't keep the smile from fighting her face. _I didn't think he'd do that ever again._ She thought. However the tug on the back of her nightshirt as it was wrapped in Finn's fist as he followed her blindly through the darkness to her bathroom was there. It was hard to imagine that he baby boy was now almost ready to graduate. He had gone through the girlfriends, puberty, driving, and growing up as a teenager and he was slowly reaching the steps of adulthood.

_I could have done without the pregnancy scare though, _Carole thought to herself.

Turning on the light of the bathroom she and Burt shared as she led Finn, Carole sat him on the toilet lid. Finn blinked slowly at the picture on the wall that was of a couple of cats in a basket as Carole searched through the cabinets. Before Burt, Carole down right refused to think of what life would be like once Finn left for college. She knew he had wanted to stay close, to make sure she was taken care of and not alone, but Carole wanted Finn to do something big in his life. She wanted him to go and find a way from Lima without the worry of her to hold him back. Her little boy had grown up into a fine young man and damn it all to hell she was proud of him no matter what.

Finding the bottle of aspirin she popped out two and handed them to him.

"Small sips or you'll get a stomach ache," She said handing him the water. He took the aspirin wordlessly and did as he was told.

"Mom," Finn said, a confused look and almost worried look passing his face. Turning to her he narrowed his eyes as if examining her for some sort of clue before asking, "You're not mad at me are you?"

That threw Carole off as she frowned.

"No, Finn, I'm not mad at you," she said taking the cup from him and sitting on the tub beside him. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because everyone's mad at me," He said as if the logic was sound. "Quinn's mad at me and Rachel's mad at me. I mean I don't know what to do. Cause they've both been mad at me before but not at the same time. How am I supposed to make anybody happy if they keep getting mad at me?"

Carole blinked in mild confusion. One being that this was the most coherent Finn had been in his stretch of sickness and second being that she wasn't sure if she wanted to open this can of worms just yet. After a few hours of sleep, maybe. But the look Finn was giving her had her thinking for some kind of response.

"Honey," Carole said slowly. Finn had always wanted to be a people pleaser and she knew that had led him to a few mishaps, especially when he had first tried both Glee club and football at the same time. Taking his hand he stared at her again. "Sometimes you can't always make people happy. I think for right now you should start trying to make yourself happy before worrying about Rachel and Quinn. Maybe-"

The dopey look she was receiving from Finn told her he wasn't following and decided she'd save this conversation for when he was thirty… or at least his fever broke.

"C'mon, Finn, let's get you back to bed," She said taking him from the bathroom and down from the room. Once again his hand wrapped around her night shirt in that old way that reminded her that despite his adult size he was still her little boy.

After getting Finn settled into bed, a goofy smile crossing his face as she tucked him in, Carole slowly began to make her way through the dark house, her face slack with exhaustion. A quick look at the clock told her it was around 3:15 am and unlike her sick children and sleeping husband, Carole knew she'd definitely need a nap in the morning. Just as she was about to quicken her pace down the hall to her bedroom the light under the bathroom door caught her attention. Had Kurt gotten up? The painful sounds from behind the door sent Carole into action as she opened the door, light flooding the hallway.

"Blaine," she asked. Despite her sleep ridden mind, the curls were undeniable. Instead of a response, the retching kicked her into mother mode and she went about her tasks. After wetting a washcloth Carole placed her hand on his back, surprised to feel the small flinch but said nothing of it, and began rubbing circles on his back as he finished expelling anything and everything that was in his stomach.

After was seemed like hours, the retching stopped and Blaine laid his fevered head against the cool porcelain, his breaths slow and shallow. Sensing his embarrassment Carole waited for Blaine to speak first and simply handed him the wet rag allowing him to cleanse his face all the while rubbing his back.

"I'm sorry," Blaine said softly. Carole almost missed it and leaned further down to hear.

"There's nothing to be sorry, sweetie," She said brushing the curls from his forehead.

"I," Blaine stopped to swallow, his body trembling at the horrid taste in his mouth. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"Blaine, honey," Carole said with a frown.

A wide terrified look passed over Blaine's face before he twisted back towards the toilet, his body jerking violently against his retching.

"Alright, alright," Carole said wetting the cloth again and dripping the water on the back of his neck. A low whimper escaped his throat. "Shh. It's ok Blaine, sweetie, get it all out."

After everything had made it's way through Blaine and into the toilet the teen gagged violently against the taste as his body tensed underneath Carole's hand.

"You're all right, Blaine, just relax," Carole continued to comfort taking to combing her hand through his curls once more. The effect seemed to work as the brunette melted beside the toilet, his body going limp with a lack of energy.

_Boy, this kid sure is well put together but when he falls he falls hard, _Carole thought watching Blaine take the cloth and clean his face.

"Sorry," Blaine again a look as if ashamed that Carole had seen him so weak crossing his face. Carole raised a confused eyebrow and Blaine was quick to explain. "You don't have to stay up, Mrs. Hummel. I didn't mean to wake you."

"Blaine honey you're sick," Carole said noticing the way Blaine turned the distinctive green color but seemed to be fighting it.

"I'm alright," Blaine said starting to shake his head but thinking better of it and simply leant against the cabinet. "I've already troubled you enough."

"Oh hush! Blaine you'll never be a burden in this house," Carole said with a small laugh. If this had been Finn he would have been at her feet begging for some soup or something with that face he pulls whenever he wants something. But as Carole turned back to see Blaine the confused look sent a pain through her heart.

_He really doesn't think he should be taken care of, _Carole thought with shock. Her smile dropped to a frown and she could have cursed the Andersons who had yet to return her calls in regards to Blaine. Bending down in front of the teen her hand reached up and ran through the thick curls that flopped around his head without it's normal gel.

"Blaine. You can't help being sick, it just happens," Blaine shivered, his eyes fluttering closed, as he couldn't help but lean into the cool touch. Carole noted his fever was higher but she decided to deal with later.

"Yeah but its not your job to take care of me," His voice said although it was lacking the conviction it had earlier.

_You're right. It's your mother's,_ Carole couldn't help but think with a bite but she'd never voice it, especially to Blaine. Carole hadn't known Blaine for long but Blaine made Kurt happy and Blaine was important to Kurt. Therefore Blaine was important to Carole and Burt. If Blaine's parents wanted to miss out on someone as wonderful as Blaine then it was their lose but that didn't mean Carole was going to make the same mistake.

"Well of course it is. You're under my roof and I'm more than happy to help," She said softer than her actual angry thoughts. She eased herself beside the teen slowly, her fingers still combing through the curls.

"But-" Blaine hesitated, his voice strained, tired. Carole could feel his body slowly slumping beside her as he melted into her touch unwilling to break the contact despite his claims of being "all right".

"But nothing sweetie, just because you're not my kid doesn't mean I'm not going to take care of you," Carole scuffed softly. "I'm a parent, this is my job. You will always be welcomed here and no matter what you are family to me and Burt."

Blaine smiled but it faltered. However it looked more like he was trying to keep from being sick again than anything else.

_Well at least we made some progress, _Carole sighed.

Blaine pulled his knees to his chest after his failed smile. Carole recognized the movement to be a control thing and decided against saying anything else. Instead she waited in silence for Blaine to calm down, merely letting her fingers run through his curls and her hand to continue it's calming circles.

"You ok now," Carole asked after a while. Blaine said nothing but nodded.

Then with a soft smile she brought the hand that had been stroking the unkempt curls to cup his face.

"C'mon," she said standing. "Let's get you to bed."

_Slowly but surely_ Carole thought as they made their way from the bathroom and to the den where the pull out couch that had become Blaine's bed was waiting

Again the soloist said nothing as Carole led Blaine back to the pull out sofa, guiding him into the covers and promptly producing a small bucket beside his head.

"Goodnight Blaine," Carole said kissing him on the forehead and once again pushing the dark curls from his eyes. "Come get me if you get sick again ok?"

Blaine looked up at her with half lid eyes and opened to his mouth to say something but instead smiled without faltering.

"I'll leave the hallway light on if you need me."

* * *

><p>The next morning was less serious and thankfully without the puking. Once Burt had left for the garage (a new grocery list in hand) Carole took to making cleaning bed sheets and towels. Kurt had awoken for a few minutes to sip some water and snag a cracker before heading back to his room. Around noon both Blaine and Finn were coherent enough to make their way to the kitchen where Carole could keep an eye on them as she set about preparing a few meals for Burt to take to work with him. Finn's blanket was wrapped loosely around his larger frame, as he stared up at his reflection from Carole's hanging pots, his mouth slightly gapping open. Blaine, who sat next to him and with the blanket bundled around him so that his head barely poked out, looked to be fast asleep on the marble counter.<p>

"Mom," Finn gasped suddenly. "Look!"

"That's nice, honey, " she said continuing her cooking.

Finn turned sharply to Blaine, "Did my nose get bigger from last night?"

Blaine blinked and looked up at the taller boy without moving his head from its spot.

"No," he finally said with a small shake before his eyes closed once again.

The two stayed in the same positions as Carole allowed herself to divulge into her cooking, her mind taking a moment of solace as she went about making a soup. Broth first for the boys and then she would later add some ingredients for Burt and herself. She hummed softly as she cut the celery she was going to add later to the broth. When the kitchen filled with the subtle salty smell of her homemade broth she dished out two bowls.

Carole placed the bowls on the counter and turned back to the stove letting the soup go to simmer. Now that the broth was dished out she went about to adding more ingredients for Burt.

She was rather surprised how easily she had fallen into wife and mother (now with 3 boys essentially plus Burt) after being on her own for so long. Sure she had Finn who had taken on the role of man of the house but he was her little boy. She had been lonely. Then she had found Burt and half of her that lay dormant inside suddenly came alive. At first she had felt guilt for loving another man but the more she connected with Burt the more she knew that love had found her once again and there was nothing she could do but go with her heart. Finn had even grown attached to the man in the process and she had gained another son…

"Mrs. Hummel," a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Yes, Blaine," Carole said looking over her shoulder.

…The look on Blaine's face was enough.

Carole dropped her knife on the counter and rushed the teen into the bathroom.

Finn blinked at the soup before looking at Blaine's now vacant seat.

"Whoa…" he said in astonishment. "Where'd he go?"

* * *

><p>Kurt made his way down the stairs with a bit of his usual pep in his step and his hair elegantly combed. He let the moisturizing go just this once as he planned on staying in for most of the day. The smells of the kitchen greeted him as he woke from his long slumber and he was pleased to feel his stomach not lurch in protest. His slippers padded silently through the hallway of the quiet house and he raised a brow at the clean house around him. Nothing appeared out of place that needed taken care of now that he was awake. Carole had done the laundry, took out the trash, and made sure his dad was fed three times a day which was normally on his high to do lists when he finally felt alive enough to get back to keeping house.<p>

Loud snores echoed the hallway and Kurt poked his head into the den. Finn's snores sounded from his throat as he lay sprawled out in the lazy boy, his body covered in a cold sweat from his broken fever. The remote rested limply in his lap and he looked to be missing a sock but he appeared to be getting better. Kurt's eyes landed on the mound on the couch. The dark curls sent his heart flittering they way it always did when he saw Blaine and he resisted the urge to run over become Nurse Kurt until the soloist was healed of all flu like symptoms. But the slow rising of the lump told Kurt he was sleeping and he didn't want to wake him so he continued on.

Kurt walked into the kitchen spotting Carole by the stove.

"Hey Kurt," Carole said over her shoulder with a smile. "How ya feeling, hon?"

"Better, finally," Kurt smiled as his eyes landed on the ginger ale and wheat thins laid neatly in the corner.

"I didn't know what kind of ginger ale you wanted so I just had your dad get you Vernon's," Carole said after catching his eye.

Kurt nodded not really sure what to say. It had been a long time since anyone had really taken care of him. He wasn't used to the house carrying on without him and being a rather particular person in the way he kept things he was indeed impressed that Carole had preceded past his expectations. Then his eyes landed on the crackers and ginger ale again he smiled a little. Also something he wasn't used too. He wasn't one for gracious thank yous.

"Oh," He said lamely instead. That didn't seem to work so he tried again. "How's Finn?"

"By the sounds from the den, I'd say he's fine," Carole said with a laugh going through the spice rack looking for something. Kurt heard the faint noise of Finn's snores and rolled his eyes.

"And Blaine," Kurt asked trying to sound as innocent as possible even though he had already taken a peak before stopping in the kitchen. Carole gave him a knowing smile before it dropped from her face, a worried frown etching her expression.

"Oh he's," Carole's frown made Kurt curious as to what he missed while he slept. "He's doing alright. His fever isn't rising anymore which is good."

Kurt knew his boyfriend would have blanched at the thought of anyone being concerned for his well being but Kurt also knew Carole was worried about something and she was normally worried for a good reason.

"I don't think I'm going to have him try eating anything just yet, at least not till he's kept some liquids down," Carole finished with a thoughtful look before returning to her cooking.

"Your dad should be home in a couple of hours and the sun's been out for about ten minutes if you want to take your food out to the sun room. I'm making chicken for dinner if you're feeling up to it," Carole said rummaging through the fridge.

"Carole," Kurt said after his moment of silent shock. He felt slightly guilty for all his normal house duties falling onto her shoulders and also for bringing his boyfriend along to share the misery of the flu had been asking a lot of someone who had only just joined the Hummel family. He knew of her checking up on him throughout the past couple of days as well. Carole turned to him expectantly, a raw chicken in her hands. Kurt took a moment to chew on his words before he looked back at her. "…Thank you. For everything and not just Blaine and my dad but…"

He faltered not used to having to express such gratitude. However Carole waved it off with a smile as she continued on her way.

"Don't worry about honey. That's what I'm here for," She said turning her back to him while she went about marinating the chicken. Kurt smiled as he took the plate of wheat thins and ginger ale.

"Maybe I will take these to the sun room," Kurt said with a sigh and sneaking off to take another peak at his sleeping boyfriend.

**A/N: Learn this early on my young grasshoppers: A way to a man's heart is a good head rub. You could steal an identity from a guy from all the answers you get from them when you do that. Now this is a mixture of what I go through with being sick. When I have a fever I honestly go to a different planet (There was a whole family trip to Mall of America that I don't even remember how we got there. I just woke up in hotel room next to my mom) and I tend to sleep for a good portion of the period of when I'm sick. **

**Now everyone review or face the wrath of Finn, Blaine, and Kurt's germs!**


End file.
